Centre declined to constitute a tribunal to adjudicate Mahanadi river water dispute between Odisha, Chhattisgarh

Bhubaneswar: Centre today declined to constitute a tribunal to adjudicate the Mahanadi river water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the Union Government said that Odisha Government has not submitted required information in this regard, so there is no need to constitute a tribunal.

Odisha has been alleging that the Chhattisgarh government was violating a 1983 treaty on Mahanadi waters by constructing unauthorised dams and barrages on upper catchment areas of the river.

Meanwhile, the Mahanadi issue was raised in the Odisha Legislative Assembly for discussion by Government Chief Whip Amar Prasad Satpathy who said that 41% less water flowed in Mahanadi river in November this year as compared to that of November 2016 due to construction of dams and barrages by the Chhattisgarh government on upper catchment areas of the river.

The water flow in the river will further reduce by 73% in March and 77% by May 2018 following which 16 districts of the state will be affected after the reduction in water flow, Satpathy informed the House.